This World is Beautiful(Or So I'm Told)
by lightningstrxu
Summary: On the anniversary of the fall of Beacon, Ruby reflects on her past and how much the world has changed since then. Too bad she never got the chance to see it.
1. This World is Beautiful(Or So I'm Told)

**This World is Beautiful (Or so I'm Told)**

By Lightningstrxu

* * *

Ruby ambled down the small gravel laid path. With every step, the tip of Crescent Rose tapped the ground ahead of her. Her hood up and cloak drawn tightly around her to protect her from the chill autumn air.

The sound of shifting gravel reached her ears, followed by a child's cry, and a dog's worried barking.

"Mama!" the voice cried out.

"Bell?" Ruby turned around listening to her daughter's cries; she walked over to where she sat on the ground crying. "What happened, are you okay?"

"I tripped." The little girl cried while holding her leg. "I think it's broken, I don't know if I can…" she was cut off by a small brown corgi licking her face. "Drei not now." She sputtered.

Ruby smiled and chuckled.

"Drei's just worried about you Bell." Ruby said as she knelt down on the ground. "So your leg is broken huh?" she asked with an amused smirk.

"It is!" Bell cried out in earnest.

"Well, luckily your mother happens to be a trained medical professional." Ruby held out her right hand. "Where does it hurt?"

Bell reached out and grabbed Ruby's hand and guided it to her right knee. Ruby using her hand as a guide leaned down and kissed her daughter's knee.

"Is that better?"

"Maybe…" Bell looked off to the side. "You might have to carry me though."

"If that's what you wanted all you had to do was ask." Ruby ruffled the younger girl's hair. "You don't need to trick me."

Ruby stood and folded up her scythe placing it on her back.

"You especially don't need to pretend to hurt yourself and make me panic, and I thought a Beowolf had found you."

"Those are just stories mom." Bell replied indignantly. "They aren't real."

Just stories…yeah, I guess that's all the creatures of Grimm are now to the world.

"You never know." Ruby extended her arms downward. "Now come here or are you going to make me find you."

Bell stood up and grabbed onto one of Ruby's hands signaling her presence.

Ruby picked her up and held her close, before turning back down the path. Her pace would be slower without Crescent Rose to guide her, but she would manage.

"Drei take up the lead, boy." Ruby commanded, and the corgi barked and walked in front of her.

"Mama tell me a story." Bell whispered as she snuggled into Ruby's shoulder.

"Which one did you want to hear?"

"The Silver Eyed Huntress!" Bell shouted excitedly causing Ruby to flinch.

"Sweetie that was right in mommy's ear." Ruby shook her head to clear it.

"I'm sorry." Bell whispered.

"It's alright just remember that I have sensitive ears." Ruby smiled at her daughter. "So the Silver Eyed Huntress? You sure I just told you that one the other night, what about the Invincible Girl or the Copy Cat Rabbit?"

"No." Bell shook her head. "The Silver Eyed Huntress!" she stuck out her tongue.

"Alright, I hear you." Ruby chuckled.

"A long time ago there was a young and beautiful huntress, stronger than all the rest…" Ruby began.

"Because she had silver eyes!" Bell interrupted.

"Yes, because she had silver eyes." Ruby laughed at her child's enthusiasm. "Are you sure you don't want to tell the story?"

"No, you tell it so much better mama."

"Anyway, the huntress held within her the power to slay Grimm with only a single look, and thanks to her many lives were saved." Ruby continued the story as she walked down the path.

"But one day an evil witch came, Salem the queen of the Grimm, and even the Silver Eyed Huntress could not stop her, not alone at least." Ruby spoke softly as Bell's eyes began to droop.

"Banding together with her friends the Golden Dragon, the Wandering Cat and the White Haired Princess they fought back against Salem and her army of Grimm. Together they were unstoppable, or so they thought."

Ruby stopped for a moment overcome with memories of the past.

"Salem proved a stronger foe than they all realized, and very nearly defeated them, just as the witch was about to strike down the Huntress the Wandering Cat jumped in to take the blow. She had sacrificed her life…so her friend may live."

Ruby held back her tears; it hurt to cry anyway. She had told this story many times before, but it never got easier, but she would not let her daughter forget, not let the world forget.

"Consumed by grief the Huntress unleashed the full force of her silver eyes upon the witch. The witch fell and with her death so did the Grimm."

Ruby's voice dropped to a low whisper.

"But for the Huntress to unleash that much power, a price had to be paid. The Huntress was struck blind, never to see the peaceful world she helped create."

A small sigh escaped Bell's lips as she fell asleep in her mother's arms.

Ruby held her closer wrapping her cloak tighter around the both of them. She had reached the end of her journey.

An open clearing lay before her; a simple stone wall stood at the center. The Beacon Memorial to the Fallen, erected to honor the memory of the fall of Beacon and all those who lost their lives in the fight against Salem.

It was supposedly quite a breathtaking sight, or so Ruby had been told. Maneuvering carefully she found a nearby bench to lay Bell down upon. Pulling down her hood she revealed her face to the cold air, her eyes wrapped with a red cloth. She removed her cloak and draped it over her daughter's sleeping form.

Drawing and unfurling Crescent Rose she tapped the bottom of the scythe on the ground.

"Watch over Bell, Drei. I'll be back soon."

The corgi barked in affirmation as Ruby walked off, she made her way to the memorial wall her scythe tapping with every step.

Reaching the wall, she stretched out her hand and ran it along the wall, feeling the engraved names under her fingers until she found the first name she was looking for.

"Hey, Penny." Ruby whispered. "It's been a long time hasn't it?"

She fidgeted with the hem of her combat skirt.

"Hard to believe it's been fifteen years?" Ruby leaned on her scythe. "I didn't know you for very long Penny but know that I have never forgotten you, for that brief time I was glad to be your friend. I just wish I had more time with you."

Ruby traced her fingers over Penny's name one last time before moving on. Walking further up the wall she found the next name.

"Hello again." Ruby sniffled, wiping her nose with her sleeve. "How have you been Pyrrha?"

Ruby stood silent for several minutes as if waiting for the once Invincible Girl to reply.

"Sorry I haven't visited much lately. I've been busy…not much of an excuse I know."

Ruby looked up at the sky as if somehow her blind eyes would see some kind of answer.

"Ren and Nora are doing well. They went off and rebuilt Kuroyuri a few years back."

Ruby shook her head.

"I was there a few years ago when Nora and Ren had their first child. It's apparently quite the sight…not that I would know."

Ruby grinned and laughed, rocking herself back and forth slightly.

"They're up to five now, can you believe it. I think they're determined to one-up Jaune's parents."

Ruby fell silent again the smile on her face fading away.

"Speaking of Jaune…We have a daughter together now, well she's four, so maybe I'm a little late in telling you this, and for that I'm sorry. I would introduce you, but she fell asleep on the way here."

Ruby pressed her palm up against Pyrrha's name, feeling it press into her hand.

"I know this may sound stupid, but every so often I can't help but feel guilty Pyrrha." Ruby's hand trembled against the engraved name. "I'm living the life you should have had, marrying Jaune, raising a child together, and another on the way."

Ruby stopped and chuckled.

"I shouldn't have said that I'm only a few weeks along, I haven't even told Jaune yet. So can you keep a secret?" Ruby brought a finger to her lips to make a shushing motion.

"If…if it's a girl I want to name it after you, are you alright with that?"

Silence was the only answer Ruby received, but she could swear she heard the distant voice of her long-lost friend.

"If that is your answer so be it." Ruby nodded. "Well goodbye Pyrrha I promise to visit again soon, I live much closer now, at Beacon actually, Jaune and I are professors now. Who would have thought Professor Arc and Rose, it sounds almost like a dream. But I have someone else to see today, so I'll talk to you later."

Ruby ran her hand along the wall once more; the final name was much further away from the previous two. Ruby stopped cold upon finally finding the name.

Ruby's finger traced each letter slowly, committing every detail of the engraving to memory.

"Blake." Ruby sobbed.

Ruby's legs trembled as she fell to her knees and cried, she wept until her eyes stung from the salt of her tears. She reached up and undid the now tear soaked blindfold. Her eyes were fluttering open.

Empty holes were all that remained, her eyes long ago destroyed by their power. The cold air felt strange in her vacant eyes but soothed the stinging from her tears. Ruby looked up at the spot on the wall where Blake's name was, a pointless gesture, but she wanted Blake to see what had happened to her.

"I miss you so much, Blake." Ruby moved to a seated position on the grass. "We all do."

"But you probably already know that. You were always so perceptive."

Ruby's hand idly played with the grass around her.

"Yang's in Menagerie, carrying on your work. Who would have ever thought a human would be leading the White Fang? But Yang wouldn't take no for an answer."

Ruby brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

"She has a kid now, a little faunus boy she adopted." Ruby smiled. "She looked so happy last time I saw her; I think her heart is finally starting to heal. She…she loved you; more than you realized, or maybe you did you're you. I probably shouldn't have told you that, but I don't think she ever will, and I think its right for you to know. But don't tell her I told you okay."

Ruby closed her empty eyes, the chill becoming too much for them.

"Weiss is doing well; she's in Atlas. Head of the Schnee Dust Company, but that's obvious isn't it. You'll never guess who she ended up with."

Ruby waited silently as if the wall could reply.

"Do you remember the Vytal Festival, that guy she fought in the doubles round Flynt Coal?"

Ruby paused again.

"I know right!" Ruby giggled. "They met again at a charity concert two years ago and hit it off, they're expecting their first child any day now. You should see Weiss, Jaune told me when she called that she's all baby, her stomach is almost half as big as she is."

"Jaune and I, we're together. We got married three years ago, and we have a daughter she's four." Ruby smirked. "Yeah I know the math doesn't line up, Jaune and I just celebrated our engagement a little too much and surprise. I wish she were awake right now; I want you to meet her."

Ruby ran a hand through her hair.

"Her name is Belladonna Rose; we call her Bell for short."

"She's like you Blake; she loves to read. Yeah, she's reading at four and above her level too. She's so smart and a little catty…sorry, we can just say that was for Yang. Sometimes I expect to find little cat ears when I touch her head. I like to think that maybe a small part of you somehow came back with her."

Ruby sat silently for a while contemplating her words carefully.

"I hated you, Blake after you died I hated you…I hated myself." Ruby rested her forehead against her knees. "You didn't need to sacrifice yourself for me. Your semblance is supposed to take you out of harm's way not throw you in front of it."

"It was my fault; I tried attacking when I shouldn't have. The one time you should have run away…you didn't, and you saved me."

"I was so angry at first; you gave your life for mine, and I couldn't even appreciate the world that your sacrifice created."

"I thought my life was over…I couldn't see, I couldn't fight, and the Grimm were gone. I know that should have been a good thing, but all my life I wanted to be a Huntress and now not only could I no longer be one, hunters themselves no longer had a purpose."

Ruby stood up and started pacing in place, Crescent Rose repeatedly tapping on the ground.

"But over the years I slowly realized that my life could continue. Even without Grimm, there was still plenty of evil in the world. There were suddenly thousands of hunters who also no longer had a purpose, and not all of them were noble heroes."

Ruby smiled and twirled her scythe making a rather dramatic display. Even though it had been over a decade since she had last fought the movements came easily.

"Hunters were still needed, this time to fight other hunters. It was a rough couple of years, and it came close to war a few times, but we made it through, and I found my new calling."

Ruby finished her display and rested Crescent Rose across her shoulders.

"Weapon Crafting." Ruby beamed. "I may not be able to fight, but I still know weapons inside and out. I can tell you how a weapon works by feel alone, how to improve it, and how to maintain it properly. That's my job now…"

"Professor Ruby Rose." Ruby emphasized her new title with a wave of her hand. "I teach weapon crafting at Beacon."

Ruby paused as she shook her head and laughed.

"Yeah I know hard to believe, isn't it? I'm a teacher. I even have an assistant, she's covering my class for the day right now, and I needed a personal day for this."

Ruby brought her scythe back down to the ground and found her way back to the wall and placed her hand on Blake's name.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is." Ruby bit her lip. "Thank you, Blake, for a long time I was so angry but now. I have Jaune, I have Bell, and I get to live in this beautiful world you created, and I will never forget what you did for me."

Ruby leaned forward resting her forehead against the engraved name.

"Thank you, Blake, for everything." She whispered. "Goodbye."

Tracing the name one final time, Ruby turned around and walked back to her sleeping daughter.

"Did she sleep well Drei?" she held out her hand, and the corgi licked it. "I'll take that as a yes."

Retrieving her cloak, she picked up Bell and held her close.

"Take the lead boy. We're going home."

The dog barked and went ahead of her on the path with Ruby following slowly behind.

It was a little warmer now if Ruby had to guess it was probably close to noon. She felt her feet leave the gravel as she stepped onto the pavement, signaling the path to back to Beacon proper. She knew from memory that from here you could see all of Vale if you looked from the proper angle.

It was supposedly a breathtaking sight now, with how much Vale had expanded during this era of peace. 'Supposedly,' that was a word she had gotten used to over the years, not able to see things for herself and only to have the input of others to rely on.

Even her daughter she had never really seen. It was a question she often asked Jaune. 'What does out daughter look like?'

'Like you.' He would always reply. 'But she has my eyes.'

Ruby smiled, Bell would never know the burden of the silver eyes that was if she even wanted to be a Huntress. She lived in a world of total freedom; she could do whatever she wanted.

Ruby looked out over Vale, darkness was all she knew, and it would be all she would ever see for the rest of her days. But still, she felt the warmth in her heart grow as if she could feel the peace in the very air itself. The peace she had fought for, lost her sight for, and that Blake had died for.

"This world is beautiful."

Ruby told herself.

* * *

Well I hope you enjoyed this, just an interesting one-shot idea I came up with, I don't know if I will be doing anything else with this unless there is some tremendous feedback.

Well back to work on Trapped I guess. Hopefully, I'll have another chapter out later this week.


	2. The Birds and the Bumblebees

**This World is Beautiful (Or So I'm told)**

The Birds and the Bumblebees

By Lightningstrxu

* * *

Ruby sat at the breakfast table, having just finished perhaps the most delicious plate of bacon and eggs she had ever eaten.

"Another plate my dear?" Jaune asked spatula and frying pan at the ready.

"Yes please, if it's not too much trouble." Ruby said sheepishly.

"Of course it isn't, you're eating for two after all." Jaune replied as he turned back to the stove.

"Yeah." Ruby smiled as she patted her belly, her pregnancy was only just beginning to show.

"Mama?" Bell called from across the table. Ruby turned to face her.

"Yes Bell?" Ruby asked.

"My new brother or sister is in your tummy right?" the little girl asked, her face scrunched up in confusion trying to even grasp the concept of pregnancy.

"That's a way of putting it yes." Ruby chuckled. While she could not see her daughter's face she could easily hear the confusion in her voice.

"Did I come from your tummy too?"

"Yes, you did." Ruby smiled warmly. "All babies come from their mother's tummy."

"How did I get in your tummy mama?" Bell asked eagerly bouncing in her seat.

A clanging sound was heard as Jaune dropped the spatula on the floor, and he began sputtering.

"What?" Jaune managed to gasp out.

"Did I ask something wrong?" Bell kicked her feet back and forth as she looked up to Jaune.

"No sweetie. It's a good question." Ruby spoke softly. "Well Jaune, how did Bell end up in my tummy?"

"Why are you asking me?" Jaune asked as his eyes narrowed looking at the smug little smirk on Ruby's face.

"Well, you put her there." Ruby countered. "I figured Bell would want to know how you came to be called daddy."

"If memory serves you called my daddy that night." Jaune muttered under his breath.

"Jaune not in front of Bell!" Ruby admonished going red in the face.

"Well don't…"

"Excuse me I asked a question!" Bell pouted crossing her arms.

"Young lady you do…" Jaune began.

"Jaune." Ruby held out a hand to him. "She's right; we're dancing around the question." Ruby sniffed. "Also the eggs are burning."

"Shii..ugar." Jaune held back the swear in his daughter's presence, before going back to his cooking.

"I'm sorry Bell, I'll answer your question now." Ruby said calmly. "However in the future it's not nice to demand things."

"Okay." Bell nodded.

"How you ended up in my tummy."

Ruby took a deep breath.

How indeed?

 _ **Flashback**_

Ruby held up another outfit up to her scroll.

"No." Yang said with a shake of her head from the screen.

"Yang!" Ruby gave an exasperated sigh as she tossed the outfit aside. "That the third outfit you've rejected, I'm running out of clothes."

"Well, maybe you should take more pride in your appearance." Yang chided waggling a finger at Ruby.

"Why should I care about what I can't see?!" Ruby threw her hands up and collapsed back onto her bed.

"Ruby." Yang whispered. "Sorry I just…"

"It's fine Yang." Ruby sighed again, her hand coming up to trace the cloth she wore over her eyes. "I guess I'm just nervous."

Ruby sat up hugging her knees to her chest.

"I haven't seen…" Ruby stopped to consider the irony of those words. "I haven't seen Jaune in three years, when I visited Ren and Nora in Kuroyuri." She stood up and began pacing.

"And now all of a sudden he calls me up and wants to have dinner and catch up." Ruby ran a hand through her hair. "Maybe I'm overthinking things; I don't need to dress up for him."

"You don't need to, but you want to." Yang commented. "Ruby can you at least face the scroll so I'm not talking to your wall."

"Sorry Yang." Ruby stood and fished through her dresser feeling the different outfits, seeing if any of them felt fancy.

"So are you going to tell him?" Yang rested her head in her hand.

"Tell him what?" Ruby said totally not dodging the question. "What do you think of this?" she held up what she presumed to be a sweater. Usually, she was quite meticulous in keeping her clothes organized for identification but now in a state of panic as well as scraping the bottom of the barrel regarding outfits.

"It looks fine." Yang said dismissively. "Are you going to tell him?"

"I don't know!" Ruby tossed her hand in the air. "What am I supposed to tell him. 'Oh hey Jaune I've been in love with you since I was eighteen.'"

"Yes!" Yang shouted. "That is exactly what you're going to do."

Ruby picked up her scroll and flopped onto her bed.

"That sound like a terrible idea Yang what if he says no? What if he doesn't feel the same way I do?"

"Then he doesn't, and you can finally move on knowing that you at least told him how you felt."

"But what if I destroy our friendship, what if I can never live up to Pyrrha."

"Ruby I don't want you to feel how I feel." Yang sighed. "I loved Blake, and I never told her because she had Sun, and didn't want to make it awkward. I figured I could always do it later. We had more important things to worry about."

Yang gave a long drawn out sigh.

"I never got a later Ruby."

"Sor…"

"Don't even think of finishing that, it wasn't your fault Ruby." Yang said sharply. "My point is Jaune is a Huntsman. Every day could be his last, so you are going to tell him. As for your other arguments, if this destroys your friendship then he never deserved it in the first place, and don't try to live up to Pyrrha, be you, Ruby."

"Alright." Ruby nodded. "I'll tell him."

"Good." Yang beamed. "So I think I can build you an outfit out of what you've got. But what are you going to wear under it?"

"Eh?" Ruby's face went red. "What does that matter?"

"In case you and Jaune decide to do the do." Yang chuckled as Ruby continued to curl up into a ball of embarrassment.

"That…We're not…I don't even own anything like that." Ruby managed to sputter out.

"I bought you some a few years ago for your birthday. Your size hasn't changed so should still work."

"You bought me those as a joke; I was so embarrassed."

"You're twenty-five Ruby, the jokes over."

Ruby fell back on her bed and groaned.

Today was going to be a long day.

#####

Ruby had only just finished setting the table, when she was startled by a knock at the door.

"Coming!" Ruby gasped out. She ran her hands over her skirt and sweater one last time, hoping everything was neat and tidy. She ran to her apartment door and opened it up. "Hello."

"Hey, Ruby." Jaune smiled.

Ruby's mind spiraled. Jaune was here, for dinner with her alone. A potentially romantic evening. Alright now say something witty.

"Hi." Ruby said softly as she waved.

"So? Can I come in?" Jaune shuffled his feet out in the hallway.

"Oh yes come in." Ruby chuckled nervously as she stood aside to let him into her apartment.

Jaune walked inside, and she closed the door behind him.

"Uh, Ruby?"

"Yes, Jaune?"

"Do you think you can turn on the lights?" Jaune looked around the darkened room.

"Oh sorry!" Ruby ran to the nearest light switch and flicked it on. "I don't normally think about it."

"It's fine…" Jaune trailed off as the lights illuminated Ruby.

She was dressed in a very flattering red sweater and black skirt ensemble, black thigh high stockings framing her legs very nicely along with slightly heeled red shoes.

"It seems I'm underdressed for the occasion." He managed to say after taking in her appearance.

"Oh, this?" Ruby motioned to herself. "Yang helped me pick it out; I told her it was too much."

"No, it's fine." Jaune shook his head. "You look beautiful Ruby."

It took every ounce of willpower Ruby had not to faint at that moment.

"Thank you." Her hands fidgeted with the hem of her sweater. "Do you want a drink?"

"Sure." Jaune sat on the couch.

Ruby walked shakily over to her fridge and not just because she was wearing lady stilts. Retrieving a bottle of wine from it she then wandered to one of her cupboards and pulled down two glasses.

Jaune watched her as she walked, amazed at how easily she navigated her apartment despite being blind. The last time he had seen Ruby she was still struggling with basic day to day activities.

Ruby returned placing the bottle of wine on the coffee table as well as two glasses.

"So how have you been?" Ruby sat down smoothing out her skirt as she adjusted herself. She reached out and poured two glasses of wine, and handed one to Jaune.

"I've been doing well." Jaune said as he took the glass and sipped it. "Just a wandering Huntsman, righting the wrongs of the world, I was just in in Mistral helping to settle a border dispute."

"Well you've always been a good leader Jaune, did you manage to negotiate a deal." Ruby sipped her wine.

"Yes I did, they split the contested land down the middle." Jaune smiled. "So what have you been up to?"

"Oh um." Ruby ran a hand through her hair. "I haven't been doing much, I take a lot of walks, and I help out at Beacon every so often, Not very impressive compared to you."

"It's not a competition Ruby." Jaune rubbed his chin in contemplation. "Both the world and you have changed; it can be a struggle to figure out what you want to do with yourself. You said you help out with Beacon, what do you do there."

"Oscar has me speak sometimes; he thinks it's a good idea the world never forgets where we came from. I happen to agree. I chaperone functions and counsel students who have been through trauma."

"I see." Jaune took another sip. "Have you considered teaching?"

"Teaching?" Ruby cocked her head to the side. "I doubt I could do that, the only thing I excel at is combat, and well I can't see to teach."

"Really now; Hold out you hand Ruby."

"Okay." Ruby held out her hand, Jaune placed something into it.

"Now what is it?"

Ruby's fingers wrapped around the object.

"Well, it's a gun." She ran her fingers over it. "Well, more specifically A Mistralian semi-automatic pistol, with twenty-two caliber rounds. It has been modified slightly." She maneuvered it around. "The grip is weighted and reinforced for use as a club in melee combat. This is excellent craftsmanship Jaune." She held it back out to him.

"It better be, it cost a lot of lien to commission it. But you were able to tell all that just by holding it?"

"Well yeah." Ruby smiled confidently. "I'm a total dork when it comes to weapons; I must have tried everything at least once back at Signal before deciding on a scythe, like Qrow."

"Well there you go, you can teach students how to maintain their weapons properly. A lot of kids just pick out a weapon; you'd be surprised at how many don't know how they function."

"I guess I can consider it…" Ruby trailed off as she sniffed the air. "Oh no!" she bolted off the couch and to her oven and opened it. Smoke billowed out of it causing Ruby to cough.

"You alright?" Jaune got up and followed her.

"I forgot to set the timer." Ruby sighed. "I was too focused on looking nice for you I'm so stupid." She opened a nearby window to let out the smoke. "And now I ruined our dinner."

Ruby marched back over to her couch and plopped down. She poured another glass of wine and chugged it down.

"Ruby, are you okay?" Jaune sat back on the couch next to her.

"I'm fine." She reached out to pour another glass, but Jaune grabbed her hand.

"You're not!" Jaune said sharply. "I can understand being upset, but you look devastated, what is all this? The fancy clothes, the wine this isn't you."

"Well I just…" Ruby sat still. "I just needed to tell you something, and I didn't know any better way of doing it. I told Yang this was stupid."

"Ruby if you have something to tell me, just tell me. We've been friends for ten years, and you can tell me anything."

"I…I don't want to be friends anymore Jaune." Ruby said shakily.

"Ruby what are you talking…"

Ruby leaned over and pressed her lips against his, and it wasn't quite what she expected. It was scratchy and rough.

"Ruby is there a reason you're passionately kissing my chin?"

"Sorry." Ruby leaned back but was stopped as Jaune brought his hand up to her cheek.

"Its fine I think I understand now, you sure have a confusing way of putting things, Ruby."

Jaune began pulling her closer, Ruby's heart hammered in her chest.

"I love you too Ruby."

"Wha…" Ruby started to exclaim in confusion but was quickly silenced as his lips found hers.

The world around her seemed to fade; despite being blind, she prided herself on being acutely aware of the world around her. But right now he was her world.

His scent, his taste, his touch all of it overwhelming her heightened senses. She brought her hands up pulling him closer deepening the kiss. She felt herself shift as he fell back against the couch pulling her on top of him.

Regretfully even trained Hunters still need to breathe and at last they parted.

"How long?" Ruby managed to pant out. She felt as if the world was spinning. She rested her head on Jaune's shoulder for support.

"Five years." Jaune replied as he gently stroked her back. "I wanted to tell you, but you had enough to worry about at the time, and then you fought Salem and…"

"I lost my eyes." Ruby finished for him. "You can say it Jaune, I've made my peace with it."

"I can see that." Jaune wrapped his arms around her. "But at the time I didn't want to feel like I was taking advantage of you at you're most vulnerable. What about you, how long?"

"Seven years." Ruby whispered as she nuzzled into his neck. "I realized it when we beat Cinder together and you got hurt, I don't think I had ever been so afraid before. I never said anything because I was afraid I could never measure up to Pyrrha."

"Ruby, Pyrrha meant a lot to me it's true." Jaune took a deep breath. "She started me on the path I needed to be on, but you kept me on it. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here right now, after Beacon fell I might have just stayed at home and given up on my dream. But you kept me going Ruby."

"So we've both just been dancing around oblivious for the last few years?"

"Looks like it." Jaune shrugged.

"What do you say we make up for lost time?" Ruby pressed her lips to his again, this time finding them easily. Her hand was snaking its way under Jaune's shirt running her fingers over his abs.

"Isn't this a little fast?" Jaune gasped out as he pulled back from the kiss.

"Well, speed is my semblance." Ruby smirked devilishly.

"Still seems a little…" Jaune's argument died in his throat as Ruby pulled her sweater over her head and tossed it aside.

Ruby was before him now her breasts only held back by the barest amount of red lace.

"I take it by your silence that you like it?" Ruby giggled. "Never actually wore this before."

"It looks good." Jaune stammered out.

"Good." She kissed him again. "Although I think Yang lied about my size not changing, this isn't exactly comfortable."

"Well, you may have gotten a little bigger." Jaune smirked, his fingers tracing their way up her spine, causing her to shiver. "If you're that uncomfortable we can always take it off."

"Now who's rushing?" Ruby stuck her tongue out at him but froze when she felt him undo the clasp at her back, the feeling of him sliding the straps down her shoulders as she became exposed to him

This was happening, wasn't it?

"Gods' you're beautiful." Was the last thing Ruby remembered Jaune whispering to her before being pulled into another kiss. His hands roaming to her chest, their gentle caresses overwhelming her senses.

Before they spiraled into blissful oblivion.

 _#####_

Ruby stretched and groaned rolling over on her bed. A huge smile formed as consciousness returned to her as she remembered last night.

"Mmmm." She snuggled into her pillow. It had been years since she had slept that well. "Morning Jaune." Ruby reached out her hand next to her only to find empty space.

Ruby sat bolt upright in bed, reaching out to both sides of her…she was alone in bed.

"Jaune." Ruby asked confused.

Had last night just been some incredible dream? Ruby shook her head. No, it was way to real, was it just some one night stand, did he just use her, and why did she smell eggs?

"Morning Ruby." She heard Jaune say as he entered the room. "I made breakfast."

Ruby felt the bed shift as Jaune sat down and held a plate out to her with one hand and with his other guided her hand to the plate.

Ruby took the plate and sniffed, scrambled eggs and bacon, perhaps a hint of brown sugar. Her stomach growled only just now realizing that she and Jaune had never actually gotten around to eating last night.

"Thank you." Ruby managed to say before scarfing it down. It was perhaps the most delicious thing she had ever eaten. "That was almost as good as the sex." Ruby licked her lips as she finished the meal.

"Oh…." Jaune chuckled nervously. "Well, I try."

"At this rate, I might just have to marry you." Ruby smiled while setting the plate on her nightstand.

"Sure, sounds fine to me." Jaune shrugged.

"What?" Ruby asked confused.

"You said last night we're overdue, so sure I'll marry you."

"What?" Ruby asked again in disbelief.

"Will you marry me, Ruby?" Jaune looked over at her; Ruby sat frozen. "Ruby?"

"Yes!" Ruby leaped into his arms.

Jaune wrapped his arms around her.

"I have to call Yang and Weiss." Ruby trembled with excitement. "I need a dress! I don't know how to dress!"

"Ruby, there's no need to rush that much, we've waited years a little longer won't kill us."

Jaune pulled her into a kiss, and the world faded away again. He was right, and it's not like they needed to get married tomorrow.

Four weeks later Ruby found out she was pregnant with Bell.

 _ **End Flashback**_

Ruby could feel the impatient stare that her daughter was giving her, she had reminisced perhaps a bit too long.

Well, that was hardly an age-appropriate story for her four-year-old little girl, hell it would probably be inappropriate for Bell even if she were thirty.

"Love is how you got there Bell." Ruby said after a moment. "A special love that only mommies and daddies can share."

"Oh." Bell scrunched her face up in confusion. "Uncle Qrow said it was sex."

"Excuse me?" Ruby almost fell out of her chair, while Jaune went into a coughing fit.

"Uncle Qrow said babies come from sex." Bell smiled sweetly. "What's sex mama?"

Ruby slammed rubbed her hand against her forehead.

Today was going to be a long day.

* * *

Well so ends another installment, I've decided to come back to this after getting inspired. While I am updating a chapter and may continue to do so in the future, I am keeping the story marked as complete. Each chapter will be semi-standalone with no real over-arching storyline. So this may be the end it may not be. As always read and review.


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